Bec Hewitt

Rebecca Hewitt
Born	Rebecca June Cartwright (1983-07-23) July 23, 1983 Sydney, Australia
Other names	Bec Cartwright
Occupation(s)	Actress, television host, singer
Years active	1992–present
Known for	Hayley Smith Lawson in Home and Away; winner of Dancing with the Stars (Australia) Season 1; presenter of Helloworld
Notable work	Home and Away, Bec Cartwright (album), Dancing with the Stars (Australia)

Rebecca June Hewitt (née Cartwright; born 23 July 1983) is a multifaceted Australian talent known for her work as an actress, television host, and singer. Between 1998 and 2005, she gained recognition for her portrayal of Hayley Smith Lawson in the soap opera Home and Away. Performing under the name Bec Cartwright, she launched a self-titled pop album in 2002. In 2005, she wed professional tennis star Lleyton Hewitt.

Career

Cartwright’s acting journey commenced at age five with appearances in TV commercials, leading to her first significant television role in 1992 on Police Rescue. She also made guest appearances on series such as Water Rats and Roar.

Her major breakthrough came in 1998 when she joined Home and Away as Hayley Smith Lawson, quickly becoming a beloved character among viewers. Her performance earned her several Logie Award nominations, culminating in winning Most Popular Actress in 2005. That same year, she departed from the show to dedicate time to motherhood; the role was briefly recast before being written out.

In 2002, Cartwright secured recording deals with Warner Music Australia and East West Records. Her debut single "All Seats Taken" reached number 10 on the ARIA Charts, followed by singles "On the Borderline" and "A Matter of Time" which both entered the Top 30. Released in June 2003, her eponymous album peaked at number 21 and achieved Gold certification despite receiving mixed critical feedback. She concluded her music career by ending her contract in 2004.

In November 2004, Cartwright triumphed in the inaugural season of Dancing with the Stars, partnered with Michael Miziner. The duo returned for a special performance during the second season’s opening episode.

November 2006 saw her hosting Abba Mania on the Nine Network, a program that attracted criticism for exclusively featuring talent from within the network; reviews of her hosting were predominantly unfavorable.

After stepping away from television for over a decade, Hewitt reemerged in 2018 as the presenter of Nine Network’s travel series Helloworld, appearing across its first two seasons starting with an episode filmed on Hamilton Island.

Personal life

Born in Sydney on 23 July 1983, Cartwright is the youngest child of Darrel and Michelle Cartwright and has an older brother and sister. Following a four-year relationship and brief engagement to fellow Home and Away actor Beau Brady, she began dating tennis professional Lleyton Hewitt shortly thereafter.

The couple announced their first pregnancy on 5 May 2005 and were married on 21 July 2005 at the Sydney Opera House, with their reception held at Taronga Zoo. Their wedding garnered extensive media coverage, including exclusive rights sold to magazine New Idea. Bridesmaids included actresses Ada Nicodemou and Kate Ritchie.

Cartwright delivered their daughter on 29 November 2005 at North Shore Private Hospital in Sydney. Prior to the birth, they signed an agreement with Woman's Day for exclusive diaries, photographs, and interviews documenting their child’s first two years, which sparked controversy over allegations of "commercializing" their daughter. Their son, Cruz Lleyton Hewitt, was born on 11 December 2008. Their third child, daughter Ava, arrived on 19 October 2010; her name was revealed through a paid text message service that also drew criticism.

In February 2009, amid disclosures regarding Hewitt’s offshore earnings during a legal dispute with Octagon Sports Marketing, the family moved to a $3.8 million residence within the Old Fort Bay estate located in Nassau, Bahamas.

Television

Year	Title	Character	Details
1992	Police Rescue	Emma	Season 2, Episode 9
1997	Water Rats	Schoolgirl	Season 2, Episode 8
1997	Roar	Young Caitlin	Season 1, Episode 9
1998–2005	Home and Away	Hayley Smith / Hayley Lawson	Main cast, Seasons 11 through 18
2002	Home and Away: Secrets and the City		Video special appearance
2004; 2021	Dancing with the Stars	Contestant	Winner of Season 1; participant in Season 18
2004	Home and Away: Hearts Divided	Host	Video special presentation
2005	Home and Away: Romances	Herself	Featured in video special
2018	Endless Summer: 30 Years of Home and Away	Herself	Television special event
2018	Helloworld	Presenter	Season 1, Episode 1 appearance
2022	This Is Your Life: Ray Meagher	Herself	Broadcast on October 11, 2022
TBA	Time & Place	Kylie	Television series role pending release

Film

Year	Title	Character	Notes
2024	13th Summer	Kate Robinson	Scheduled for theatrical release in 2024

Albums

Title	Details	Highest AUS Chart Ranking
Bec Cartwright	Released June 16, 2003 Label: East West Records Format: CD	21

Singles

Year	Track Title	Highest AUS Chart Position	Certifications	Album
2002	"All Seats Taken"	10	ARIA: Gold	Bec Cartwright

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	For Work	Outcome

|- 2001 Logie Awards Most Popular Actress Home and Away (Season 13) Nominated |- 2004 Logie Awards Most Popular Actress Home and Away (Season 16) Nominated |- 2005 Logie Awards Most Popular Actress Home and Away (Season 17) Won |- 2005 Logie Awards Most Popular Personality on Australian Television Home and Away (Season 17) Nominated |- 2006 Logie Awards Most Popular Actress Home and Away (Season 18) Nominated |- 2006 Logie Awards Most Popular Personality on Australian Television Home and Away (Season 18) Nominated